| Author | Message | ||
| Mitchell L. Davidson (Jussumfastgi)
Junior Member Username: Jussumfastgi Post Number: 67 Registered: 4-2002 |
Of course, however SOME (I wager a good amount of) the draw is having a car faster than all but a limited number of select cars. Fact is, the 250 would still hand most modern cars their bumper on the freeway up until a year or two ago. | ||
| Manu Sachdeva (Manu)
Junior Member Username: Manu Post Number: 245 Registered: 2-2002 |
Ferraris appeal is not defined SOLEY by the BHP. And that's the bottom line. | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 704 Registered: 8-2001 |
How old is the 250GTO? Well, that's precisely my point. If horsepower is all Ferrari enthusiasts care about then nobody will be driving 308s or any vintage Ferraris. | ||
| Mitchell L. Davidson (Jussumfastgi)
Junior Member Username: Jussumfastgi Post Number: 60 Registered: 4-2002 |
Yes but how old is the 250, lol! And 295hp is still very respectable. my point is a used Ferrari was still faster than most anything out for a good part of ten years after it's introduction. How many cars can take a 512TR? Not many. I'm not talking form a stop, but freeway speeds. On the other hand, with these HP wars starting up, a new Ferrari will not be much faster than car for very long after it's introduction compared to the cars of the past. (for example, a 328 was very fast freeway up until... well it really still is!) however the new Altima, Maxima, 300M, etc... are all faster. Took them ten years though... That's why I think Mods are the answer! ;) Then again, I have dealers install mods on my cars before I even pick them up... | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 700 Registered: 8-2001 |
A 250GTO has 295HP. That doesn't make it any less desirable today. Horsepower is only one part of the appeal of Ferraris. You're also comparing current Ferraris, like the 360 Modena, against newer or future models from other companies. It's almost as rediculous as the modded cars versus stock Ferraris threads. I'm not worried about the performance of future Ferraris at all. | ||
| Mitchell L. Davidson (Jussumfastgi)
Junior Member Username: Jussumfastgi Post Number: 56 Registered: 4-2002 |
True, but how would you feel if in four years you buy a used F360 and you can't even pass an: Audi A6 Audi A8 BMW M3 BMW M5 BMW M6 BMW M Roadster Chevrolet Corvette Dodge Viper Caddy CTS Ls6 Pontiac Holden etc.. etc... on the freeway? Sure you will have a "fast" car compared to civics and such, but anyone with 35k and a desire to can floor it and keep right up with you in comfort and style with a new car warranty and reliability? It's not a happy thought. Look at it this way. The F355 is still a fast car, even 7 years after it's release, every few cars can keep up with it. Do you think the 575 will be a very fast car with very few cars able to keep up with it in seven years? ... time will tell. I know I know, nobody buys a Ferrari for speed only if they know anything about cars. They would be far better off with an old 60's muscle car. However, the M3 or Corvette is not a poor handling car... Does it have the same thrill? No, of course not. But the thrill of the Ferrari WILL be lessened if they are no faster than any other car. The answer? ... After market parts of course! ;) Turbo your seven year old 575 and smile as you leave the new high HP cars in your dust.... | ||
| G.Peters (Wfo_racer)
New member Username: Wfo_racer Post Number: 6 Registered: 5-2002 |
I love my cars but if I really want to go quick nothing beats my bikes. The R1 for the corners and my turbo charged Hayabusa for just, scare the hell out of you speed. Stock my Busa went 194 true not indicated and now 220. Stock it went from 0 to 100 around 5 seconds now a bit quicker. Car are nice but a bit tame for me. | ||
| Modified348ts (Modman)
Junior Member Username: Modman Post Number: 210 Registered: 11-2001 |
Hey fellas there are a lot of high horsepower cars over 500 hp that didn't feel like anything I was expecting, the car has to sound and feel like what YOU should expect and not what another would like to expect. | ||
| Andrew (Mrrou)
Member Username: Mrrou Post Number: 289 Registered: 3-2002 |
i am slightly dissappointed..I love everything about ferrari's including their acceleration and their horsepower..375hp on a 355 is very respectable..but if your average passat has that 5 years from now...umm see where im going? also with the 550 having a very very nice 485 horsepower, when some of us purchase them 5 years or so down the road, I would still want to have a car that not only out brakes, handles and curves more then most other cars, but a ferrari that has more horsepower then other cars..the corvette will probably top that magic 485 mark within the next year or so.. I know ferrari's are not about horsepower, but hp is a part of them.. It seems that ferrari's days of those 0-60 and quarter mile times beating everyone elses will come to an end.. :: sigh  what a sad post to read before going to bed..it gives me a lot to wake up to | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
New member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 45 Registered: 4-2002 |
This sounds more like a natural course of evolution at every new message. My thoughts on uneducated drivers--give them all 600 HP cars during the rainy season. Those who can learn and those who respect the equiptment will survive. My thoughts on high HP vehicles--as long as one can afford the payments, insurance, gas, oil, tires, and maintanence--sure go for it--government has no business deciding whats best for the individual, and only a minor intrest in educating the individual to make reasonable choices. | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 921 Registered: 6-2001 |
Come on guys, a 500hp car is very practical. Its a safety thing, think of how easy it will be to merge onto a busy highway. (note the sarcasm) Its dangerous to have an underpowered car dart out of an onramp that doesnt have enough power to get up to speed. | ||
| Tenney (Tenney)
Junior Member Username: Tenney Post Number: 134 Registered: 2-2001 |
I'm sure at least some of this can be attributed to a quest for corporate (hence marketing) bragging rights which, in turn, will trickle down to the consumer. For practical purposes, many cars seem to be getting bigger and heavier due, in large part, to the addition of creature comforts, driver aids and safety features (one and the same in some respects). As such, a bit more power (1001 hp?) is a handy thing to have when it comes to getting the new stuff (barges?) down the road. | ||
| Marv B (Mdb69)
New member Username: Mdb69 Post Number: 38 Registered: 4-2002 |
The majority of drivers buying these high performance cars aren't skilled enough to drive them. If anyone here thinks of buying a car with that kind of performance, my suggestion to you is to go to one of the many high performance driving schools first. | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
Intermediate Member Username: Irfgt Post Number: 1382 Registered: 2-2001 |
What is really disturbing too is the fact that whoever purchases one of these Super cars will Immediately go home and add a Performance air filter and low restrictive exhaust and a computer calibration to give it a little extra punch. DUH! DUH! Tripple DUH! | ||
| Richelson (Richelson)
Member Username: Richelson Post Number: 701 Registered: 12-2001 |
I don't see why people want outrageous HP numbers. Why would one need such a number. I think many people accelerate their cars too fast anyway. I was on the road today and a traffic barrel was in the road. (Large) I was going a moderate speed and put on the brakes. The person behind me had gassed the car hard from the light and came about 2 inches from rear ending me. The usual squeal of the tires. | ||
| Marcus Mayeux (Mmayeux73)
Junior Member Username: Mmayeux73 Post Number: 175 Registered: 4-2002 |
"a million dollars sounds expensive to me." No argument there!  I just hope that car companies do not forget it is just not about HP's, but how the whole car presents itself, performs, and that it is made very well. | ||
| Nunja Bitness (Jaxfl)
New member Username: Jaxfl Post Number: 47 Registered: 11-2001 |
Its just like when Nissan came out with its turbo Z back in 1990. A car doing 0-60 in 5.X seconds for $33,000 sent ripples through all of the "performance" brands. Suddenly your pricey 911 or Ferrari 348 couldn't outpace the common folk. Even the 512 and turbo 911 weren't out that far in front any longer. Its amazing how the entry price drops for certain performance benchmarks. What it used to take to get into the 5 second 0-60 club back in the 80's was a 911 turbo for $70,000. Now its a $24,000 Subaru WRX econobox. Getting into the lower half of the 4's was cool way back in the 90's: Vipers, 550 Maranellos, Diablos etc. Once the 1996 Porsche 993 Turbo posted a sub-4 second 0-60 for $105,000 everybody adjusted their sights. Ultimately it will be like the speed of computers. Humans only react so quickly. Being able to perform beyond the reactions of its user is useless. Will a car be deemed too dangerous if a housewife could jump in and launch the car to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds? Hard to say where it will end. | ||
| Mitchell L. Davidson (Jussumfastgi)
New member Username: Jussumfastgi Post Number: 46 Registered: 4-2002 |
Sounds like in a few years (less than 4) the current performance cars won't even be considered fast! Corevette at 350? What a slouch! M3 at 343? Might as well be in reverse F360 with 4xx depending on Dyno and how the clouds where in the sky the day your engine was made? Get out of the way, a caddy coupe is coming up on you. I fear for the resale value on the current "performance" cars with this sudden jump in HP. Lol, all well, I guess we just have to buy the "new" Ferrari's... ;) Boo Hoo | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 919 Registered: 6-2001 |
a million dollars sounds expensive to me. | ||
| Marcus Mayeux (Mmayeux73)
Junior Member Username: Mmayeux73 Post Number: 174 Registered: 4-2002 |
"are expensive"...million dallars for the Bugatti Veyron and 1001 hp's-Jesus! I will bet you all 50 of them will be sold... | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 918 Registered: 6-2001 |
Its like the 60's, companies are sort of competing to have the most power. I think all this is good and bad. What i mean by this is that people who dont know what the hell they are doing shouldnt be driving such powerful cars. The only bad thing is when this has to end. Remeber when the musclecar era ended? I dont because i wasnt alive, but something about a 140hp v8 isnt apealing to me. At least now we have the technology to have powerful cars that are somewhat environmentaly friendly. Most of these cars mentioned are expensive and arent accessible to most people. But look at all the other cars out there now, like the wrx, G35, etc. | ||
| Marcus Mayeux (Mmayeux73)
Junior Member Username: Mmayeux73 Post Number: 173 Registered: 4-2002 |
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4901 |